


switchblade

by redsh



Category: K-pop, VIXX
Genre: Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, M/M, Moon Phases, Short & Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-07
Updated: 2020-07-07
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:36:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25128619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redsh/pseuds/redsh
Summary: it's been three years, but jaehwan finally gets a second chance.
Relationships: Lee Hongbin/Lee Jaehwan | Ken
Comments: 2
Kudos: 10





	switchblade

when night falls, the moon shines down on the earth. it reflects off the ocean waves, illuminates the trees, highlights the stars. in this place, far away from the city lights, the moon shines as bright as the sun.

the waning crescent suddenly becomes full, seven other phases of the moon blooming in a line across the starry sky like flowers. each phase glows in unison and the birds resting in the trees cry out as a projectile is shot into the center of the woods. the phases are drawn back towards the full moon and the waning crescent returns. jaehwan twitches, wiggling his fingers as he hangs upside down within a cocoon of thread and glitter. he shifts, turning this way and that, holding his breath as his vessel splits open and he lands unceremoniously on his back in a patch of damp grass.

jaehwan inhales deeply through his nose, gripping fistfuls of grass between trembling fingers. he’s _cold_. the temperature here is low, even for him. he sits up slowly, the golden waves of his hair kissing his shoulders and lower back. 

he makes his way through the trees, the earth glowing around his bare feet as he slowly walks. flowers seem to turn their heads, animals watch him suspiciously from a safe distance. jaehwan approaches a river, toes brushing over beige and grey stones as he steps into the water. he wraps his fingers around his switchblade and pulls it free from the sand, slips it into the holster strapped to his thigh.

he’s exhausted. jaehwan knows he shouldn’t rest out in the open but he curls into a ball under the nearest tree, hugs his knees to his chest, and closes his eyes regardless. he welcomes sleep.

☾

the next night, jaehwan opens his eyes slowly. various peaceful sounds fill the background and he hums. he isn’t tired or cold anymore. some type of cloth is covering his body. it smells good, reminds him of the sea, and he tugs it higher above his neck.

“why did you take this switchblade?” a voice calls from above, sending goosebumps up jaehwan’s spine. his body isn’t fully awake yet, legs still tingling from being held in the same position for so long.

jaehwan’s fingers probe his thigh, eyes growing in size when he finds that his switchblade is in fact gone. _dammit._

“cat got your tongue?” the voice asks, a hint of sarcasm woven into their tone. jaehwan sees the reflection of moonlight off the tip of his blade and finds the eyes of a stranger in the dark. he sits up cautiously.

“who are you?”

“question for a question, answer mine first.”

this can go one of two ways. jaehwan can take a risk and play the stranger’s game, or he can put distance between them and steal his switchblade back when the time is right.

the stranger sighs as he watches jaehwan run in the opposite direction, hair flying behind him. he aims and throws the weapon with enough force to jolt the tree nearest to jaehwan’s head.

“are you completely mad?!” jaehwan snatches the blade free and turns, not at all surprised to see the stranger standing six feet away. “you could have killed me!”

“stop exaggerating, jaehwan. it was all in good fun.”

the stranger steps out of the shadows and into the moonlight, drawing a gasp from jaehwan’s lips. memories fill his mind, hundreds of thousands of flashes of the same face. he knew this person in another life. jaehwan is far from faces he didn’t miss, but this is one that he missed _terribly._

“hongbin?” jaehwan’s voice trembles, nothing more than a whisper.

“that’s my name.” hongbin beams, dimples peeking out from his round cheeks. “did you miss me?”

tears fill jaehwan’s eyes and spill over like waterfalls. he has so many thoughts, so many questions. his heart aches at the sight of hongbin standing before him as if this is the most natural occurrence in the universe.

“of course i did.” jaehwan sniffles, laughing sadly. “i left you all alone, didn’t i?”

hongbin’s smile turns sad as well. he looks to the sky, eyes picking out various constellations here and there.

jaehwan’s human life ended three years ago. he’d gone out to grab something for hongbin from the store one night and never came home. the accident was terrible. hongbin watched jaehwan fight unconsciously in the hospital for three months and eventually lose, had to let him go the year of their wedding. it was hell.

“yes you did,” hongbin agrees after a long silence. “i buried your switchblade in that river but i didn’t think you’d come back three years later to pull it up. nice to know you love the gift i got you so much.”

“of course, you got my name embroidered on it and everything.” jaehwan wipes his cheeks, sliding the switchblade back into his holster. “and to be fair i didn’t plan this, i don’t know why i’m here.”

“you don’t have a heartbeat. you’re not alive.” hongbin states, eyes still on the stars. jaehwan touches a hand to his chest, expression shifting to something unreadable. there’s no pulse either.

“i can’t remember anything after that night...it feels like i took a nap and when i woke up i was falling into this place...looking for my switchblade...”

for the first time, jaehwan hesitates to reach out to hongbin, to draw him to his chest and run his fingers through his hair. if he isn’t alive he doesn’t know what he is, or if he can touch the person he still loves more than anything in the universe.

hongbin’s hands are shaking. he snaps to attention as jaehwan moves closer to him.

“let me try, please.” jaehwan speaks softly.

“i’m afraid,” hongbin admits, taking a step back. “i buried you, jaehwan. you’ve been gone for three years, for all i know this is another dream. it doesn’t make any sense. i came to the river because i had one of those days where i couldn’t stop thinking about you and i just so happened to find you sleeping naked under a tree with your switchblade in your favorite holster? hair so long you look like you’re cosplaying rapunzel? no pulse? this doesn’t make any sense.”

“i’m not afraid. if you won’t come into my arms voluntarily please give me the chance to try and hold you. i know this is scary and weird and confusing but i would like to try and hold you right now.”

“what if you can’t?” hongbin’s voice cracks.

“what if i can? you have to let me try, baby.” jaehwan pleads. “stay still, let me come to you.”

hongbin stops, biting back tears as jaehwan gets closer and closer.

“it’s just me, i’m here.” jaehwan whispers, standing on his toes and wrapping his arms around hongbin’s neck. hongbin doesn’t react at first. when he does he lets the tears fall, sobbing softly as he grips jaehwan tight. his knees give out and he hides his face in jaehwan’s neck, crying hard and making a mess on his skin.

_“i won’t leave you again. i promise.”_

☾

“i can’t leave this forest,” jaehwan interrupts the silence of the night, stars reflecting in his eyes. they’re floating in the river, jaehwan’s newly cut hair fanning out like a halo around his head.

“when you went to town yesterday i tried. i followed the main road until the trees thinned out and it was like i ran into a wall. the harder i tried to get past it the more drained i got.”

“i think you got reincarnated as a nature deity.” hongbin responds, tone serious. “like...a nymph.”

“you think i’m a nymph?”

“a naiad, to be specific.”

jaehwan bursts into giggles suddenly, splashing as he sits up and pulls himself out of the water.

“what’s so funny?” hongbin asks, wiggling between jaehwan’s legs and resting his head on his thigh.

“baby, i love you. i know we’ve been researching to try and figure this out but i’m not a nymph.” jaehwan shakes his head, continuing to giggle softly as he plays in hongbin’s hair. “i highly doubt people can be reincarnated as nymph’s, you just want me to be able to influence water so we don’t have to walk five minutes to take a bath.”

“am i wrong for wanting that?” hongbin whines.

“no, it would be super cool and convenient for various reasons.” jaehwan makes hongbin look up at him gently, hands cupping his cheeks. “but i’m probably just a spirit or something, i don’t know. it’s not more important than the fact that we’re together. understand?”

hongbin nods and jaehwan kisses him softly, crossing his ankles behind his back to pull him closer.

_and they lived happily ever after._


End file.
